How to create a unix shell

pleaseteachmeun · July 20, 2007, 6:41am

Hello,

Can somebody help me find tutorials or example for creating a basic unix shell with minimal functionalities.
I am a beginner and want to know about how really the shell works.

Thanks.

venkateshp · July 20, 2007, 6:55am

Hi,

Can you please expand your sentences? You mean you want to write a shell or shell script.

Here About Shell:

In Unix, Shell is a command interpreter, which takes requests from user and converts them into the kernal language then kernal process the request. output goes back to shell which converts into the user understandable language.

This link would explain much about shell. Ask me if you have any doubts

Regards,
Victory.

sysgate · July 20, 2007, 9:06am

The shell program provides an interface between you and the Unix kernel program, which is the heart of the operating system. Its primary purpose is to translate command lines typed at a terminal, execute the command programs, display the results, and prompt for a new command. The system starts the shell in your home directory when you login and terminates when you log off.

In addition to being a command interpreter, the shell provides a multitasking environment, which allows you to run jobs (processes) simultaneously in the background and foreground; lets you create abbreviations, called aliases, for commands or series of commands; recalls previous commands; allows you to customize your working environment by defining shell variables (environment variables and predefined variables) that change shell characteristics; and provides a programming language to create shell programs (scripts) that perform complex or frequently used procedures.

Creating a UNIX shell would be a very time consuming task, but here's a link to a PDF document with some explanations.